The Unforsaken Road
by JuniperGentle
Summary: A series of one-shots starring Kyouya and/or Nile. The promised follow-up to Stories From A Bunk Bed, though can easily be read separately. Chapter 2: Ramble On - On the road to the next chapter, a certain author discovers that Wild Fang are not as co-operative as perhaps she might like... (experiment in style, mostly crack)
1. Sign Language

_I won't make any promises as to the update schedule for this, as (at least at the moment) the one-shots are unconnected and will therefore appear whenever I have an idea for them._

**Disclaimer**: I don't own a TV. Guess what else I don't own? Metal Fight Beyblade.

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**The Unforsaken Road**

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_Technically CanonxOC, but OC does not appear, and the romance is not the true focus of the story._

**Sign Language**

To say that they were having an argument was a bit of an understatement.

It had been three days since Nile had brought home The Girl, and Kyouya hadn't spoken to him since. He'd shouted, yes, but nothing even vaguely resembling a conversation had passed between them. Apparently, he objected to Nile having a 'significant other'. He had made this very, _very_ clear.

Very, _very _loudly.

"I don't know what his problem is," Nile growled as he sat at the dinner table with Gingka, Kenta, Madoka and a long-suffering Tsubasa, who shared a room with the subject of Nile's irritation. "I thought we were meant to be friends – _team-mates_ – not relationship wreckers. It's not like she's even his type, so it's not jealousy."

Gingka, inexperienced in such matters, shrugged helplessly. "I wish I could think of a way to help," he said. "But you know what Kyouya's like – he decides on his own path and then won't leave it for anything. If he's decided that he doesn't like her, then there's not much any of us can say to persuade him."

Kenta had his chin propped in his hands. "Why doesn't he like her?" he asked. "She seemed pretty nice to me."

Nile shook his head. "No idea. He just wants to control everything. Just because he's captain of my team shouldn't mean he gets to dictate my love life!"

Kenta frowned. "But seriously, Nile, why? Have you even asked him?"

"No," Nile admitted, stretching back in his seat. "Well, yes, but he's never given me a proper answer. He starts shouting and then one of us storms off."

"And comes to complain to me," Tsubasa muttered. Nile ignored him. Kenta, on the other hand, didn't.

"Do _you_ know why Kyouya doesn't like her, Tsubasa?" he asked, but Tsubasa shook his head as well.

"This is ridiculous," Madoka announced. "We can't fix this until we know what the real problem is. Nile, you should go and ask Kyouya exactly what his problem is and then sort it out! Otherwise things'll just get worse and worse, you following me?"

"I know that," Nile snapped. "But he won't talk to me any more.

"Battle him." There was a moment's shocked silence as everyone turned to look at Kenta, who was the one who had spoken. The green-haired boy looked stern. "Isn't that the best way for two bladers to have a conversation? Battle him, and then perhaps you might get to understand."

Nile sighed. "I wish it was that easy, Kenta, but..."

"I'll tell him that you've challenged him, if you like," Tsubasa offered, eager to find any way out of this mess. "Kyouya never backs down from a challenge."

Nile looked around at the four bladers he shared a table with and groaned. "Fine. I'll challenge him. If I win, he has to leave me alone. If he wins, I'll... I'll do what he wants."

.

Whilst it had taken very little effort to persuade Kyouya to accept the challenge from Nile, it had been rather more difficult persuading him to meet the Egyptian blader in a calm manner somewhere. In the end, Gingka and Kenta had accompanied Nile to the public dish in the park, whilst Tsubasa had ensured (through many varied means that he refused to tell anyone about) that Kyouya was waiting there for him. The captain and vice-captain of Team Wild Fang glared at each other across the dish, neither of them making any move to speak. Tsubasa cleared his throat.

"Alright, let's get this over with, then," he suggested. "Nile has challenged Kyouya for the right to his own love life. The winner's wishes shall be followed absolutely with no space for negotiation or deals. This will be a best-of-one battle, decided by stadium-out or sleep-out. In the case of a draw, a rematch shall be arranged until there is a decisive winner. Those are the formal challenge rules – is this acceptable to both of you?" Nile and Kyouya both nodded, eyes fixed one each other.

"It's a bit unfair, isn't it?" Gingka murmured to Madoka. "After all, it's Nile's life – Kyouya shouldn't control it."

"It'll be alright," Kenta whispered, having overheard. "The winner or loser isn't important – the important thing is that they'll understand the other person's decision. Aren't you always saying that the best way for bladers to understand each others' feelings is through battling?"

"Yes, but not like this," Gingka hissed back. "That's about how we feel about blading, not about... about _love._"

Kenta just smiled. "I think they can work things out."

But judging by the expressions on the faces of the competitors, Kenta couldn't be more wrong. Kyouya was openly snarling, fang-like teeth bared and one lip curled up in utter disgust. Nile was glaring, eyes full of fire.

"Are you ready?" he called. Kyouya's only response was to shift into the launch position, arms straight and strong.

"Ready?" Tsubasa's voice rang over the wide stadium. "Then three, two, one..."

"_Let it rip!"_

Knowing Kyouya's battle style and deciding to abandon his normal strategy in favour of the element of surprise, Nile went on the attack straight away, determined to get his point across in both battle and argument. _Why can't you understand that I want to spend time with her? She's wonderful and I like her a lot. I wouldn't do this if you brought home a girl!_

To his utter shock, Leone responded instantly to his unexpected attack pattern. Kyouya's eyes blazed with fury and – and just a hint of confusion. _If I ever brought home a girl, I would hope that you would do exactly this._

It was almost as if he could hear Kyouya's voice in his head, echoing through his connection to his blade as the two clashed deep in the dish. _What? Why?_

_Because then I would know that you cared about me – and about our team._ Leone forced itself under the rim of Horuseus and flicked it high into the air. Nile felt the blow against his constellation as well as himself, winding him as he somehow dragged his blade away from a certain stadium-out.

_I do care about you and the team..._

Leone attacked again, this time hounding Horuseus into a corner. It had been a long time since Kyouya had overpowered him so easily, and Nile didn't like it. But he was torn between the physical battle and the mental one, the argument that raged through the connection between themselves and their beys where the two met in the dish. Kyouya's expression was blank with disappointment – this was not Nile's best battle by a long way. _You're not doing a very good job of showing it, then._

This was deeply unfair. Furious, Nile sent Horuseus into a dizzying spiral, bearing down on Kyouya with all the anger that he could summon from deep within him at Kyouya's cruel words. _You were my brother. I thought you'd support me, not fight me._

_Were? _

Horuseus stuttered in its attack as Nile's eyes widened, realising what he'd said. Leone charged forwards into the gap in his thoughts, confident and raging. Kyouya's voice powered through the connection, roaring over the storm of noise.

_If you love her that much, how am I going to trust you will still be a true blader? That you will have all your mind on the fight, and that you will remain loyal to my team – to **our** team? To **me**?  
_

_I..._

_The Championships are coming up fast, Nile. I need you on my team. I need to be able to trust you completely. If you love her more than you love blading, what would happen if you meet her as an opponent across the dish? _

_I..._

_Would you defeat her? Or let her win? Nile, I have to know._

Leone was pushing hard, driving Horuseus almost to the rim of the stadium. Nile's heart was uncertain, and Leone was taking full advantage of it. If Horuseus didn't do something soon, then Leone would claim the win and Nile's heart would be lost forever. But what could he do? More to the point, what _would_ he do? How would he answer Kyouya's question?

The answer came suddenly, clear as a bell, and Horuseus' renewed attack brought him sailing down the edge of the dish, slipping out of the claws of the lion.

_I... I would defeat her. She loves blading too, and she would despise me if I didn't give my every battle my all. _

This was the right way, the _only_ way. Nile drove Horuseus across the dish, smashing into the side of Leone and making the green bey stagger back. For a second, glancing up at Kyouya, he fancied that he could see the barest hint of a smile at the corner of that thin-lipped mouth. Who cared? Nile knew he was right now, and with that conviction he attacked with all the strength he had. Leone answered, the wind picking up around the dish and beginning to spin into a visible current.

_You are my brother, Nile. Will you stand at my side again?_ The attack this time was questioning, a query as to Nile's strength rather than a direct blow to destroy.

Nile pushed back, wanting Kyouya to see, to know, to understand. There was nothing that he kept hidden, using his full strength to force the Lion back across the dish in response to his attack. _I never left your side. I never will. But things will change. We grow older, stronger, different. Maybe one day you'll understand._

That was when the strangest thing happened. Leone's impressive, impenetrable defence faltered, and instead of remaining in one place and weathering the storm, the green bey fell into step beside the other. Leone matched Horuseus' movement, not attacking it but moving in sync. Kyouya had never been one for the shifting, swirling, sand-storm patterns that Nile used, preferring the straightforward blast of the wind. But now he was mirroring every tiny motion, and Nile could see the reason why in the eyes of his opponent. _I'm trying to understand, Nile. I'm trying in the only way I know how. _

Nile wheeled his blade around, and this time Leone didn't follow but shot across to the other side of the dish before thundering down the slope in a powerful attack. Nile met it with his strongest defence, straining against the superior power of the green bey. He would not give up, not now, not ever. _I will do everything I can to show you, then._

Suddenly, Kyouya drew back, taking Leone with him. No longer attacking, he seemed to be offering an opening, some kind of peace-pledge between them. _Just because you love her, please, please don't forget how much you love blading._

Nile drew back, knowing that he needed to regroup. Attacking recklessly at this point would only mean his defeat. No, Kyouya had offered him a way to face him evenly in order to fully understand him, and Nile would never surrender a chance like that. _I never could. I love her as much as I love my own life. And I love my life because living means that I can still battle._

_Then battle me. _It was not an order but an invitation, one that Nile took without hesitation.

"Horuseus!"

The power surged into his bones, flooding his mind with the strength of the Pharaohs, stretching back through thousands of years of history. He pressed his palms together, feeling the yellow light crackling over his fingers. His attack took a while to begin, but once it had activated there was nothing on earth that could stop it.

"Horuseus – _Mystic Zone!"_

The tower of light screamed into the sky, as brilliant as Yuu's Inferno Blast and as solid as an iron wall. Nothing would break him, Nile, master of Horuseus. The sands of the Sahara were his home and his power, and in time they could turn even the mountains into sand. Who could stand against the Lord of the Two Lands, the Pharaoh of Egypt with Horus as his constellation and his guard?

"Leone! _True_ _King Lion Tearing Blast!_"

The Lion challenged his right, the King of the Beasts and the greatest cat in Africa. Against the falcon-headed god the leader of the pride reared up, paws glittering with vicious claws. The wind screamed itself into circles, twisting around itself and tearing into the walls of Nile's strong defence.

The sands could break the mountains, but the wind would scatter the sand.

Their attacks met, sending dust fountaining up from the dish. Tsubasa stepped back, shielding his sharp eyes from the debris as the two blades grappled with each other. A small twig, torn ruthlessly from the nearby bushes, whipped against Nile's cheek, but he ignored it. Nothing was as important now as holding his ground against the man he had admired and followed for so long, not even the girl they had been fighting over. He knew now why Kyouya had been so fiercely against Nile's beloved, but he also knew that Kyouya had nothing to worry about. He was Nile, the strongest blader in Africa and a member of the champion team Wild Fang. Nothing would change that, ever.

"Hold him, Horuseus!"

"Take him down, Leone!"

The light that burst from the stadium wasn't light, but brilliance taking physical form and force. The combatants were driven backwards, away from the edge of the dish, barely keeping their feet as their blades met one final time before exploding apart.

It was over.

Kyouya's eyes met Nile's over the settling smoke. The Lion had won, as he always did. But now Nile knew that in this battle at least, the outcome that lay at the bottom of the dish was nowhere near as important as the outcome that shone clear in Kyouya's eyes.

_Go on, then, Nile. Go to her. She'll be waiting for you. I'll be here when you get back._

.

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_Gingka has a habit of saying something along the lines of "Let's battle, then I can understand your feelings!" so I thought I'd try to write a battle which did that quite literally. Writing the argument was easy. Writing the battle so that it told the argument? Not so easy._


	2. Ramble On

_With a bit of inspiration from Budgielover's "Leavetaking", I present this... this **thing** that jumped into my head like the evil, Wild-Fang-shaped plot bunny that it is and refused to settle down. Describes fairly accurately what is happening with this story right now, unfortunately..._

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Imagine Juniper, arms folded and looking rather stressed, trying to organise Wild Fang into some sort of order so that they can get on with their story...

**Ramble On**

"Alright, Team Wild Fang, listen up! This is your author talking so would you please pay attention for once? No, thank you, Kyouya, I don't need you to yell at them too – yes I know they're your team, but... what? Nile's gone? Where to? Oh, that's alright then. I'm glad he remembered to do that before we left. I trust him to get back pretty soon.

"Of course I trust you as well, Benkei, it's just that Nile's a bit more responsible than you. Yes, I know – what? That was him? He swore that was Demure. I'll have to have a talk with him when he gets back.

"What is it, Demure? Yes, go on. It's not as if we're going to come across any convenient villages with running water for the next little while, so could you all make sure you've taken care of... of that business, please. Oh, so you all have to go. Except Kyouya. Why am I not surprised?

"Yes, Benkei, I know he's your Kyouya-buddy. Now go on, or we'll leave without you.

"Kyouya, is there a reason why you're – no, _don't_ do that, Kyouya, that's not helpful. I know exactly what you're doing – it's right in the middle of the path. It was pretty obvious, if I'm honest. So fill it back in again... no, it's not my job – you dug it, you can fill it in.

"Ah, there you are Nile. Can you help Kyouya fill in the Plot Hole he's just made? Thank you.

"No, I've no idea how he made it. That's a good point, though – maybe I should look into it. There must be some sort of scientific basis to it – I mean, the Plot Bunnies have to live _somewhere_ after all. It would be logical, I guess...

"Demure? Now you're back, can you scramble up here and take a look around at the terrain and see if you can spot anything? Oh, just anything... er, interesting. You've got the best eyes here, so you should be able to make _something_ out.

"Kyouya, if you say a word about that _Hobbits to_ _Isengard _video, I will gag you, tie you up and drag you along behind Benkei. Because I can, that's why. And because you've already got that song in my head once this trip and I spent days getting it out.

"Never mind that now. We're supposed to be getting off to the next chapter, so if you could form an orderly line of... well, three, I guess because Benkei's not here yet, I'd be very gratef- oh, there you are, Benkei. Get in line, please, we've got a long way to go yet.

"No, I haven't lost the Plot, thank you Demure. I know exactly where we are. We're in the middle of a desert.

"Of course I know which desert. No, it's not the place where I abandon Plot Bunnies, Kyouya, that's very rude. No, it's just a big... um... Desert of Ideas. There's ideas here _somewhere_, I just have to find them. Sometimes they're really big and obvious, sometimes they're just a mirage off in the distance, and sometimes I walk right past them without realising because they look like a tree.

"What was that, Kyouya? No, ideas _don't_ grow on trees. Some of them just _look_ like trees. I know it's confusing. Now, has everyone got their blades? No-one's left them in their rooms? Or under a tree? Benkei, are you going to be Benkei or Caped Cow for the next chapter?

"Huh? What's so funny, Demure? Oh shut up, you know what I meant. Masked Bull, CapedCow, what's the difference? Everyone _knows_ it's Benkei anyway. Nile, behave yourself or I'll accidentally-on-purpose direct you into Fangirl City. Yes, I know how to get there – I live there sometimes, so...

"No, you _can't_ do that, Kyouya. I'm your author, you're not allowed to trash my house. Yes. Even if it's in Fangirl City. _Especially_ if it's in Fangirl City because have you got any idea how difficult it is to get a house on Nonyaoi Boulevard? I spent a lot of time finding that house so don't you _dare_ touch it.

"Can we just get on, please? Kyouya, have you got the map? Well, I gave it to you so you'd be the one with – back in the first village, of course. I – what do you mean _lost it?_ Kyouya, can't you do _anything_ right?

"No, no, no, Benkei, that wasn't a slight at your Kyouya-buddy... well, okay, it _was,_ but that's because he's the one who causes most of the problems in this group. Yeah, I know you don't think so, but I'm the author and what I say goes. Yes, you _are_ all acting according to my instructions, but that's really not the point, Demure.

"Right, what else was on the packing list? Blade, menacing clock, extra hambur... wait, what? Who wrote this? Kyo – _Nile!_ Honestly, I know I proof-read everything twice before I let it out of my sight, but that's just ridiculous. I am not allowing you to bring a clock of any description, menacing or otherwise. You already have a menacing _cloak._ Yes, you do, because I gave you one. No, not that one – _that_ one. Thank you. And Benkei, how did you get hold of my packing list as well? Nile. I should have guessed. Because you're the only one who eats hamburgers, that's how.

"What? Really? Oh, excellent! Are you sure it's an Idea, Demure? Yeah, I think you're right! Let's go and get it, quick, before it runs away!

"Pardon, Kyouya? Oh, sort of like a tortoise with jet engines. No, not rabbit-shaped. Don't ask about the engines, I don't know. All I know is that we need to get a move on or it'll vanish into the sunset. So let's get going.

"_Thank_ you. Maybe this time it won't be a false alarm. I hope.

"By the way, Nile, Benkei said something rather interesting about what happened last Saturday... oi! Nile, come back! I can't get to the next chapter without you! Nile! _NILE!"_

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_My sincere apologies for this. I have no idea where it came from, and it scared away all my other Wild-Fang-related plot bunnies. I am still waiting for them to come back...  
_


End file.
